Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical apparatus, such as an interchangeable lens and an image capturing apparatus, which includes a lens barrel having a structure that reduces an impact due to an external force.
Description of the Related Art
Lens barrels include ones having a structure that reduces an impact due to a large external force caused by falling, crash or the like in order to prevent occurrence of problems in optical performance and drive of a lens caused by the impact. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2012-93484 discloses a structure in which an impact-absorbing portion formed by an elastic member is provided between, of a lens hood mounted on an object side tip of the lens barrel, a hood body and a mount portion mounted to the lens barrel. On the other hand, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-206011 discloses a lens barrel having a drip-proof structure enabling use thereof in rain.
However, the structure having the impact-absorbing portion, which is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2012-93484, can reduce the impact due to the external force received by the lens hood from the object side, and, however, cannot sufficiently reduce an impact due to an external force from a direction other than the object side (for example, from a radially outer side).
On the other hand, the drip-proof structure disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-206011 and other conventional drip-proof structures use an elastic member such as a rubber ring and a packing. Such a drip-proof elastic member, however, cannot sufficiently reduce the impact.